The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for capturing transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider conducted via an interactive information services system and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for permitting the network operator of a cable television network to capture transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber of the cable television network and a service provider, such as an Internet-based merchant.
The variety of services provided via existing telephone lines and coaxial cable networks has been steadily increasing for some time. Recent technological advances, such as technological advances in the fields of data compression and data encryption as well as digital signature techniques for permitting the validation of messages, has significantly increased both the number of services provided via existing telephone lines and coaxial cable networks as well as the demand for such services by subscribers. In this regard, subscribers are becoming more accustomed to the provision of such services via existing telephone lines or existing coaxial cable networks, and also are becoming more comfortable with the security measures taken to ensure the confidentiality of the transmitted information.
For example, cable television network operators already provide addressed message transmissions, pay-per-view programming, impulse pay-per-view programming, favorite channel features, and parental control features. Cable television network operators can also provide text services such as news articles, sport scores, stock market quotations and weather reports. More recently, cable television network operators have proposed to provide additional features such as video game delivery, digital audio services, wide area network access, travel reservations services, home banking services, energy management services, video conferencing, burglary and fire alarm services, and home shopping services. As such, interactive information services systems have been developed that utilize existing telephone lines and coaxial cable networks to provide these additional services to the subscribers.
Interactive information services systems include one or more service providers, one or more subscribers who may purchase the items offered by the service providers, and a network operator for providing the communications network between the service providers and the subscribers. For example, operators of existing cable television networks increasingly serve as the network operator by providing a communications network over which the various services offered by the service providers are delivered to the subscribers. With respect to some of the services, the network operator is also the service provider. For example, a cable television network is a network operator, but may also be a service provider for the provision of pay-per-view programming and the like. In many instances, however, third party service providers, i.e., service providers other than the network operator, provide the various services delivered via the communications network established by the network operator. For example, third party service providers typically provide travel reservations services, home banking services, home shopping services and the like.
In order to offer an even broader array of services, interactive information services systems have linked existing communications networks, such as existing telephone networks or existing cable television networks, with the Internet. For example, Le Groupe Videotron and WebTV offer interactive information services systems that have linked a cable television network with the Internet.
One particularly popular Internet-based service is home shopping. While home shopping has been provided by cable television networks for some time, the variety of shopping possibilities offered by the Internet-based merchants are much more numerous and diverse. Cable television network providers are often reluctant to provide their subscribers with the extensive home shopping services offered by Internet-based merchants since these additional services would likely decrease viewership for cable television programming. In addition, in instances in which the network operator does not provide the service, the network operator will not be compensated for the transactions conducted via their network. As such, although the network operator may provide the communications network for numerous transactions that involve significant amounts of money in the aggregate, the network operator will generally not receive a share or percentage of the transactions"" value.
In view of the importance of the telephone lines or the coaxial cable network provided by the network operator that serve as the conduit through which these additional services, such as home shopping services, are provided, at least some network operators are desirous of charging a fee or a toll based upon the dollar value or the number of transactions between the various service providers and the subscribers. In addition, some network operators are desirous of obtaining this information relating to the number of transactions and the dollar value of the transactions in a manner that is independent of the service providers, such that the network operators need not rely upon the service providers for this information.
A method and an interactive information services system are therefore provided to permit a network operator to capture transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider that are conducted via a communications network established by the network operator, such as a cable television network. For example, the transaction data can relate to the number of transactions and the dollar value of the transactions. As such, the network operator can charge a fee, a commission or a toll based upon the transaction data, including the number of transactions and/or the dollar amount of the transactions.
According to the present invention, the subscribers are provided with information relating to a plurality of items offered by one or more service providers. While the information relating to the items offered by the service providers can be presented in different manners, the interactive information services system of one embodiment includes a subscriber terminal for presenting a display of the items offered by the service providers. After reviewing the items offered by the service providers, the subscriber can transmit at least one copy of a purchase order for at least one item. While the purchase order can be transmitted in various manners, the interactive information services system of one embodiment includes a selection device for allowing the subscriber to select one or more items offered by the service provider.
The interactive information services system also includes a headend operated by the network operator. The headend receives the purchase order and analyzes a copy of the purchase order to thereby capture transaction data. If the service provider that is offering the item selected by the subscriber is different than the network operator, the headend is adapted to relay a copy of the purchase order to the third party service provider such that the purchase order can be filled by the service provider. Since the network operator has captured information relating to the purchase order at the headend, however, the network operator can charge the service provider and/or the subscriber for utilizing their network to complete the transaction. For example, the network operator can charge a fixed fee per transaction, a percentage of the dollar value of the transaction or any other pricing methodology that is desired and is agreed upon by the parties. As such, the interactive information services system can include means, responsive to the headend, for billing at least one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing the communications channel between the network operator and the subscriber based upon the transaction data that was previously captured.
While a copy of the purchase order is forwarded to the service provider in instances in which the service provider is different from the network operator, the purchase order is not forwarded to a third party service provider if the network operator is also the service provider that is offering the items to the subscriber. Instead, the interactive information services system can further include means, responsive to the headend, for filling the purchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third party service provider. As such, the network operator can offer various items to the subscriber and can fill the purchase orders placed by subscribers without involving additional service providers, if so desired.
In one advantageous embodiment, the interactive information services system includes a cable television network that includes the headend and the subscriber terminals. In addition, the cable television network of this embodiment can include a communications link consisting of a forward channel and a reverse channel. The cable television network transmits information from the headend to the subscriber terminals via the forward channel, and transmits the purchase orders from the selection devices to the headend via the reverse channel. The interactive information services system of this embodiment can also include a computer network, such as a wide-area computer network and, more particularly, the Internet, operably connected to the headend. As such, third party service providers, such as Internet-based merchants, can be provided access to the subscribers via the cable television network. Correspondingly, the subscribers of the cable television network can have access to a wide variety of Internet-based merchants and can place purchase orders with any of these Internet-based merchants from the comfort of their homes.
The purchase order can be encrypted prior to being transmitted via the reverse channel of the cable television network. Consequently, the subscribers can transmit confidential information, including credit card information and the like, through the interactive information services system with confidence that the confidential information will remain private. Likewise, the digital signature of a subscriber can be applied to the purchase order prior to being transmitted via the reverse channel to the headend of the cable television network. As such, the network operator and/or the third party service providers can verify the identity of the subscriber placing the purchase order and can thereby avoid repudiation of the order.
A single copy of the purchase order may transmitted from the subscriber to the headend. However, the method and interactive information services system of one advantageous embodiment transmits separate copies of the purchase order to the network operator and the service provider. In this regard, the method and interactive information services system of this embodiment may generate a network operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order that are encrypted in different manners. For example, the interactive information services system may include a processing element associated with the subscriber terminal and the selection device for generating the different copies of the purchase order. Following transmission, the headend decrypts and analyzes the network operator copy of the purchase order. However, the service provider copy of the purchase order is relayed along to the service provider without being decrypted, thereby assuring the service provider that the network operator has not altered the purchase order.